Cold war history is replete with moments of international crises and confrontations. But upon closer observation, one cannot help but notice how ubiquitous the talk of peace was in international relations from the 1950s to the 1970s. In her lecture Petra Goedde will show how a transnational politics of peace emerged involving both high level diplomats and grassroots activists. The path toward a Politics of Peace was full of Orwellian contradictions and absurdities, culminating in the momentous transformations of the 1960s. Prominent intellectuals and organizations outside the halls of government played a key role in reconceptualizing the idea of peace in the early cold war era. They contributed in significant ways to the transformation of peace from a lofty, idealistic aspiration to a pragmatic politics that was ultimately embraced by political leaders of every stripe on both sides of the iron curtain.

HBC Goedde 2022 10 05 (266 Kb)